Sunday, March 26, 2006

Angels among us

I was reading a blog post the other day, and it got me to thinking. I started thinking of all the times similar things have happened to me just when I needed them most. I am pretty sure that it goes back to the Tender Mercies of the Lord that Elder Bednar talks about. (Yes, that is probably one of my all time favorite conference talks.) Just the way that the Lord knows exactly what we need, when we need it, and he very often uses other people to give us those tender mercies.

I've been thinking about one particular incident that happened to me about a year and a half ago. Joel was out of town for his Grandpa's 90th birthday celebration, I was serving as Relief Society President and it had been a particularly hard week. I was tired, and wasn't really able to give my all to the kids--especially with Joel gone. Basically, I was feeling like I was the worst mother in the whole world.

On this particular day, I had to go grocery shopping...and, of course, I had to take the kiddos with me. I really was at the end of my rope (I'm sure all you mothers can identify how it can get with 2 small kids in the grocery store, especially when you're already worn completely out) and I was about ready to scream. By the time I was finished shopping, it was close to dinner time, and the last thing I wanted to do was go home and make dinner. So, I decided we'd go to the McDonald's that was right there in the store.

While we were eating our food, an elderly woman came up to our table. I'll never, ever forget what she said to me: "I've been watching you and your beautiful children. I can tell you are a wonderful mother. Thank-you, the world needs more mothers like you." I was really shocked. And I think I felt right away that she was like an angel for me...when I was feeling like I was such a horrible mom, she came and told me otherwise. I like to think that it was one of those Tender Mercies, that she was placed there at just the right time for me, because I needed to hear that.

So I hope that I can listen to the little promptings I get, even if it involves going up to a total stranger and complimenting them. If I have the idea that I should do something, no matter how small, and it is a good thing, I should do it. You never know when you are placed to be the angel that someone needed to hear from at just that moment.

Lara Neves

Lara is mom to three daughters—two teens and a tween. She loves to share her parenting and homemaking triumphs and failures here at Overstuffed! She was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2015 and has been fighting it ever since. When she isn't working on her mother of the year award, you can find her reading, singing, or taking photos.